Apologies for the lateness of this but once I realised who we were playing, my heart sank. Our opponents have never lost a game and the same fate seemed to awaiting us this weekend.

Their defensive shield provided by the Frost brothers (Jack and Hard) locks up all games they play, and they are aided and abetted by the mercurial but inconsistent Sno Storm up front.

Unfortunately, and as predicted, the result was exactly as I forecast.

But as we bask in the luxury of a football free weekend thoughts are naturally turning to the run in and chances of glory this year.

On the plus side, the recent arrivals have beefed up the quality of the squad and also given us more numbers at a very crucial time of the season. A further signing in the striker department is rumoured and it appears that money has been 'found' to try and push us over the line.

I remember Lincoln doing a similar thing last season with their cup money when they signed Angol from Peterborough who promptly scored a hat trick in one of his first games.

Confidence also still seems to be high and we have not allowed the Macclesfield result to snowball (pardon the pun) into a mini-slump.

But on the negative side top spot could now be out of reach, leaving us with the lottery of the play offs as our best hope. The return of James Wallace to add some class to the team seems still to be a way off, and could never happen at all in a worst case scenario. And there are a few good teams in the mix for play off glory so it's going to be a tough ask to get out of the National League.

So as things stand on the cusp of the last ten games it seems that all is still to play for. The title is Macclesfield's to lose I suppose but I still feel that they could tighten up a little bit as they get closer to the line. If attendances and size of club played a part in the calculations then us and Wrexham would be worthy candidates for promotion. Even though our current bette noire Dai Kwondo, is annoying, at least he betrays the fact that most of his week involves thinking about his team. The low amount of fans going to watch Dover, Sutton and particularly Macclesfield when they are doing well, suggests that those teams are possibly more small and less deserving of league status.

However, leagues are won on points gained so we will have to keep our frustrations at bay that the league leaders can only muster up 1500 supporters in their last two home games (I am not bitter), and give all our support to the team in the next two months as we attempt to do the business.

Hopefully the long range forecast shows highs rather than lows settling over Birkenhead.

mini_andyIf, and it’s a big if, we don’t get promoted, does that mean MM gets sacked? I specifically remember the palios’ saying the aim this year was promotion.
Not that it’ll happen. We’ll have signed all of last seasons FGR team by May, and we’ll win the playoffs.......

I had the same thought last week half way through the Maidstone game...I 'had a word with myself' and banished these negative thoughts from my mind.

mini_andyIf, and it’s a big if, we don’t get promoted, does that mean MM gets sacked? I specifically remember the palios’ saying the aim this year was promotion.
Not that it’ll happen. We’ll have signed all of last seasons FGR team by May, and we’ll win the playoffs.......

I would have to say yes. Unfortunately. As I’d like him to be here for many years. But with our resources we really should be doing better.

mini_andyIf, and it’s a big if, we don’t get promoted, does that mean MM gets sacked? I specifically remember the palios’ saying the aim this year was promotion.
Not that it’ll happen. We’ll have signed all of last seasons FGR team by May, and we’ll win the playoffs.......

I had the same thought last week half way through the Maidstone game...I 'had a word with myself' and banished these negative thoughts from my mind.

I still believe we can do it. I’m looking forward to seeing Tranmere Green Rovers at Wembley.

Like you, I’m a big fan of Mellon so want him to stay. But the chairman set a target

mini_andyIf, and it’s a big if, we don’t get promoted, does that mean MM gets sacked? I specifically remember the palios’ saying the aim this year was promotion.
Not that it’ll happen. We’ll have signed all of last seasons FGR team by May, and we’ll win the playoffs.......

I had the same thought last week half way through the Maidstone game...I 'had a word with myself' and banished these negative thoughts from my mind.

I still believe we can do it. I’m looking forward to seeing Tranmere Green Rovers at Wembley.

Like you, I’m a big fan of Mellon so want him to stay. But the chairman set a target

Tranmere Green Rovers, lol..if we sign any more players from FGR then pretty soon we might start seeing veggie burgers n lentil soup in the Prenton snack bars, llama's grazing on the footy pitches behind the kop, a colossal mound of cow manure compost, to be used as fuel to power the floodlights, heaped up in the car park, a gleaming new solar powered pitch lawnmower that really does have a mind all of its own and that free spirited bohemian Palios couple sitting in the directors box of our brand new all timber main stand.

mini_andyIf, and it’s a big if, we don’t get promoted, does that mean MM gets sacked? I specifically remember the palios’ saying the aim this year was promotion.
Not that it’ll happen. We’ll have signed all of last seasons FGR team by May, and we’ll win the playoffs.......

I would have to say yes. Unfortunately. As I’d like him to be here for many years. But with our resources we really should be doing better.

I agree I can't see MM being kept on if we don't go up. He was I still feel lucky to not get the sack after our terrible start to the season. His recruitment also (MP has apparently stated on the record he wasn't involved) was very poor. So yes big if but if we don't go up I just can't see MP willing to give MM another season.

I think MM will be given another season if we don't go up as we reached the play-off final last year and if we don't go up this year, I'm sure we'll be close. WE haven't got the biggest budget in this league and if MM was to leave, it's yet another upheaval for the club and who is likely to do better?

If the club gets the investment that they are allegedly close to getting, the yes I could see MM being moved on. If extra financing isn’t available, then think he would stay.
All said, we will get promoted this season and the good ship rovers will continue to sail under captain Micky for another year at least.

I am just watching the Blackburn v Wigan game and an interesting statistic that has been mentioned during the game.. out of all the 92 football league managers, Wigan boss, Paul Cook has amassed the most amount of points in the football league over the past 12 months. This is with both his time at Pompey n Wigan. Not sure if he will be adding to that points tally today though, Wigan are currently 2 down. Wonder if Paul Cook would like to return to Prenton one day in a managerial role?... Wigan have just got a goal back.

aktrfcIf the club gets the investment that they are allegedly close to getting, the yes I could see MM being moved on. If extra financing isn’t available, then think he would stay.
All said, we will get promoted this season and the good ship rovers will continue to sail under captain Micky for another year at least.

Have I missed something (hopefully!) What investment are we allegedly close to getting?

As to MM - I have an uneasy feeling re his previous signings, several just look to be a total waste of funds/resources, The late Great Johnny King stated that putting a successful side together is like baking a cake - you need the RIGHT ingredients (players - and MM falls short on that point a bit), then blending the 'recipe' correctly - so how come MM can sometimes 'find' players like Tollitt & Banks who instantly became fan favourites, continue to play some (like Mangan etc who just don't score), and 'several others' who just do not seem to fit into any 'plan' (Waring, Alibi etc), and are instantly ' seemingly surplus to requirements'. It just does not make sense. Of course bringing in a 'new' keeper and leaving Pilling out in the cold, playing Ridehaulgh instead of Clarke etc also add to the mystery of how MM works it all out, I wish him well (I will be buying a season ticket next season if he remains or not - perhaps Dave Challinor might be ready to step up, who knows?, I will wait & watch).

It is a conundrum.MM signings this summer were very poor and playing players like Alabi and McEverley may have cost us the points that have left us trying to close a gap.Equaaly selection and substitutions have at times been odd and was a contributory factors to points lost such as the game at Eastleigh.He is also to my mind always inclined in the big games to put experience ahead of youth.The recent Maccs game and the play off final are examples.
On the other hand he is not a bad manager and he has worked hard to reshape following the poor summer signings. I suppose the question for MM is will he learn from mistakes or is he a manager whose flaws will always mean that we are always likely to fall just a little short of rivals

It is not to blame them. But we struggled in that period in part because they ere not good enough and presumably that is the reason MM decided not use after the initial period.If I was to attribute blame it would be directed at selection when we already had better options on the books. In fairness though MM has restructured the team but the initial period,left us like last year,playing constant catch up

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment.
We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals.
We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards.
If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing
abuse@sportnetwork.net